Something She Can't Take
by RapozaTeRa
Summary: Maka has been the subject of her mother's verbal and sometimes physical abuse since the divorce. She wants OUT. She meets him at a diner on the side of a dusty road - a boy that will change her life for the better and show her how to live... and love?
1. Disappointment

**So I was digging around my files and found this: My SoMa fic! I forgot about it, basically, after I started writing "A Month in the House of Death", my MaKid(Maka x Kid) fic. I didn't change anything except a few errors, really, so you guys get a look at my old writing style. I must say, Its changed a bit, but I'll go ahead and post the first two chapters(I'd only written up to that point. If everyone likes it, I'll continue. If not, its gonna become a haitus work, and I'll fondly look back on it as a cautionary tale TT_TT. Anyway, rate and review, or you don't get any more!**

**Author's Notes: Rated T for teen due to swearing**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the series Soul Eater, its original plotline, manga, tv-show, merchandise, video games, music-tracks, pooper-scoopers or any of the characters involved. ****_However I do own the storyline of this fic._**

* * *

**Something She Can't Take**

_By Samurai Tsundere_

**Chapter One:**

**Disappointment**

* * *

"MAKA!"

_Ugh, what now?_

"Are you cleaning your room?"

"Yeah..." I replied weakly.

"Well I'm coming in!"

_WHAT?_

I quickly got up from my bed and looked around the room. Unfolded clothes scattered across my bed – homework and my finished dinner littered the floor...

_I am SO screwed..._

I rocketed off my temporary resting place on my bed and began to speed clean, snatching little odds and ends and tossing them wherever they looked decent. I was SUPPOSED to be cleaning my room, but... er... GOT DISTRACTED... um... by a BOOK... I just HAD to read it, i-it was near the end, a-and what I thought would take ten to fifteen minutes to finish reading the last thirty pages or so ended up taking an _hour_, I just couldn't wait until tomorrow to begin reading the second book of the trilogy – I had homework to do, and that would take maybe two hours, tops, and by the time I finished, I'd have to go to sleep.

Mom was angrily knocking on my door now.

"MAKA, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" She bellowed, most likely irked by how suspicious I was acting.

"Coming!" I said, panicked, looking at the unfinished pile of clothes on my bed(previously used as a sort of pillow while I read) untouched because of my lollygagging. The clothes...

_HOLY CRAP, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT THE CLOTHES?_

Then, I used on of the most pathetic and clichéd tricks in the proverbial book when it comes to cleaning rooms – something you'd expect that Macaulay Culkin(1)to do – I grabbed armfuls of my clothes and placed them into in my closet, and did my best to assure that the clothes wouldn't come avalanching(is that even a word?) out of my closet when Mom came in. I then shut the door with a forceful push, slowed my breathing so it wouldn't sound like I was speed cleaning(Mom could tell just by looking for certain little signs) and opened the door a crack.

"Hey Mom," I said brightly with a mock smile. "whats up?

She looked skeptical, and I could practically hear the gears turning in her head.

"Have you cleaned your room?" she inquired.

"Yep!" I said as innocently as I could manage.

"Let me see it."

I knew this was coming. This was always how it went.

Kami stepped into her daughter's room, scanning it with her eyes.

_Things seem OKAY... but this won't fly. I doubt she's even vacuumed her floor. _Thought Kami.

"You call this clean?" She asked sharply. "What have you been DOING for the past hour?"

"Homework... " I said, not a waver in my voice.

"Hmph. So you've finished?"

"Yep." I lied.

"Hmm, well, you've eaten... go to bed. Its 11PM. Good night."

"'Love you Mom," I said with a smile. "g'night."

As soon as she left, I took a shower in the bathroom connected to my room, plopping down on my bed soon after, thinking of my plan of action. Of course I hadn't done my homework – this is how things usually went: I read, neglecting my chores and homework for an hour or two, speed clean(not really CLEANING, just doing a halfway job), then think of which class I'm going to do homework for first. When my mom thinks I'm sleeping, I'm doing homework until about 2 AM, and maybe, if I feel like risking my mother waking up from the noise, _actually _cleaning up my room so she won't nag me in the morning.

_I guess I'll start with math... Might as well get the hardest over with first_. I thought to myself before digging into my backpack to find my textbook.

* * *

"Hey" One of my teachers called from down the hall.

"Hey," I said evenly. It was a Monday. I was at school. Why the heck was she so _chipper _all the time?

"Why the long face?" The older woman asked with concern.

"Oh, nothing! I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"Ooookay then!~ You know you can talk to me if you have any problems right?" She said with a motherly smile.

"Of course," I said with a small smile. "see you in next period Ms. Martinez.." I said, walking off, ignoring the concerned look the my teacher was giving me. Its not like I'd ever go to her for my problems... she couldn't help me, and its not like anyone would _believe_ me.

I got into a huge fight with Mom this morning. It really wasn't my fault... but being the person that my mother is, she'd rather be right than just squash the argument. I'd done the dishes, cleaned my room the night before, and did my homework – I'd also made her bed for her before she came out of the shower so she could go straight to bed after what I knew to be a hard day. My alarm clock I awoke to the next day was Mom's screaming.

"MAKA, GET THE HELL UP _NOW_ AND EXPLAIN THIS TO ME!"

Obviously I couldn't tell what the heck she was talking about. Whatever the problem was, the yelling was coming from the kitchen, so I got up to investigate, thinking "What did I DO?" my whole way there. When I arrived, Mom started yelling again, something about the microwave. I looked inside to find dried brown liquid all over the walls of the device. I turned to her, a puzzled look on my face.

"What's all this stuff in the microwave?"

"YOU would know," She said with a frown. "you had ramen last night!"

_Only because you never cook._ I thought bitterly.

However, I still knew where my mother was going with this. She's suggesting that last night, since I had some Maruchan(2) , the flavored, MSG(3) saturated water popped all over the walls while it was in the microwave, and that I hadn't cleaned up my mess. I had. This of course was NOT my mess. Mom always had coffee in the morning, and most likely the brew had splattered all over the walls as she warmed it. I explained to her how I'd cleaned up all my mess last night. She yelled, insulted me calling me all kinds of stupid, and made a fuss over such a small matter. I just sat there, my emotionless gaze meeting her own criticizing one. I just took it. I stopped caring what Mom thought a long time ago.

The rest of my school day went by quietly. I mean, how could it be remotely noisy, like those of the kids who hung out in their boisterous groups, laughing at whatever dumb joke one of them had cracked? I didn't hate them. If nothing, I kind of envied them. Its not that I'm timid, or a shut-in, or that I had some stereo-typical problem like the kids my age had in movies. I can be completely honest when I say I have no earthly idea why I don't have friends. All I have is Jen.

Jen has been my friend for as long as I can remember. We've been in the same school since the third grade... well, we were apart for a year in our first year of middle school, but still. She's fairly popular with our upperclassmen, so sometimes I'm left to eat alone, like today. I gazed over at her laughing with her friends, angry with her for leaving me... Whatever. Sometimes I even wondered if we were really friends. I glared at her from where I sat, no doubt getting weird looks from the people around me, but I didn't care. After glaring at her for a while longer, I suddenly saw some weird floating balls at the center of where everyone's bodies should be.

_What on earth?_ I thought to myself, shocked. But as quickly as they had appeared, the balls were gone.

I looked at the milk on my lunch tray skeptically before tossing it in a trashcan nearby and decided to bring my own lunch from now on.

* * *

_I'm sooo glad school is over._

I sat in the passenger seat of our Honda Civic, watching things roll by my window. I suddenly remembered the A that I got on my math quiz and decided to show it to Mom. She still seemed pretty pissed off about this morning, and I want some peace of mind when I sit in my own home, so I have to do what I can to keep her happy.

"Hey mom, check this out," I said, pulling a page full of confusing equations, a giant A at the top, written and circled in red marker. "I got an A on that big math midterm I was telling you about. MAN I worked hard for this!"

For a moment, I wasn't sure if Mom had heard me. She still stared at the road with that calm look on her face, a look that I knew underneath carried an undertone of anger. A normal person would just tell me that nothing was out of the ordinary, and that I needed to relax.

However, a normal person hadn't faced Mom's wrath.

After a few awkward moments later, she looked at me, her calm and peeved look going a level higher on the "angry scale". Then, her eyebrows arched in an almost mocking glare.

"You think just because you got _one measly A_ in one of your classes that you're doing a good job? Just do me a favor and shut up Maka."

I almost let my anger show, but then looked down at my hands.

"Yes ma'am." I said firmly, sitting out the rest of the way home in silence.

**:~:~:~:~:~:~:~**

**Next chapter: Emotions run high as Mama reaches her boiling point and does something almost unforgivable. Maka must now make a decision that may change her life for the worst, or make it ****_alot _****more... interesting.**

**To be honest, I wrote this during a period where my mom and I's relationship was NOT that good, and I was REEEEAALLY pissed off, so Kami's behavior is slightly based off of the way my mother is acting, just a LITTLE less extreme. I mean, c'mon, this is KAMI we're talking about here. From the way she's described by Maka and Spirit, she seems like the kind of person that doesn't mess around, and if she does something, she goes to extremes.**

**Like mother, like daughter, right? :)**

**Anyway, leave reviews...**

**...****_or I'll take your soul._**


	2. Decision Making Time

**Heeeere's the promised chapter two of my "Dual-Chapter Release Extravaganza!"...**

**...Whats that...?**

**Yes I DID come up with that name, and yes it IS terrible, but you're still reading aren't you?**

**Ok then. Enjoy the chap folks!**

**Author's Notes: Rated T for teen**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the series Soul Eater, its original plotline, manga, tv-show, merchandise, video games, music-tracks, pooper-scoopers or any of the characters involved. ****_However I do own the storyline of this fic._**

* * *

**Something She Can't Take**

_By Samurai Tsundere_

**Chapter Two:**

**Decision-Making Time**

* * *

Wind whipped my hair as I tried to stop sand from flying into my eyes.

_What the hell am I doing here... _I thought to myself, as I clutched the back of the strange teen in front of me. I was on my way to the DWMA, a few THOUSAND miles away from my home, and for the umpteenth time that day, I marveled at my own strength, my own newfound independence... how _different_ things would be from now on...

Let me explain... this all started about two days ago.

* * *

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Mom had some errands to run that day... thank GOD... As sad as this sounds, I LOVE it when she leaves the house. I love my mother, but I just feel most at ease when her judgmental stare isn't looking at me from behind. She said she had _a few_ errands to run. That meant she'd be away for three to five _hours_ – which means three to five hours_to myself_.

I was elated.

Mom, of course, gave me a huge list of chores to do, so I couldn't enjoy myself in the least. Or at least that's what SHE thought. I bode my time chilling out around the house, doing my chores here and there, and finishing them all a whole two HOURS before she came back. I watched some TV, and worked on the novel that I was writing on my laptop. Mom didn't know about the novel, of course. That would give her one more thing to badger me over. I'm not even going to give her that ammo against me.

Mom suddenly walked in the front door. I didn't even lift my head from the computer. She looked kinda pissed as she carried a few bags to the kitchen.

"Have you finished your chores?" She asked darkly from over the kitchen bar.

"Yep." I called from the couch a few feet away.

"Hmm. We'll see." She challenged.

"_We'll see"? Why can't you just say "okay" like a _normal_ person and leave it _alone? _Well, whatever, I've done everything anyway. _I thought smugly.

Oh, but was I wrong. About 5 minutes later, Mom called me into her room.

"What is this?" She asked sharply.

_Déjà vu._ I thought. I hate it when she plays this little game. She calls me from some part of the house, saying "What is this?" knowing very well that I can't see what it is. I come to whatever part of the house she's in, and half of the time I have no idea what I'm supposed to be looking at. My mother knows this. Nonetheless, it gives her a reason to argue, also giving her an outlet to release anger on whatever she's mad at.

This time she was calling from her room, so I walked down the hall, readying my poker face. I do my best not to show any emotion when Mom yells. Any smirk, grimace or twitch of the eyebrow is perceived as insolence. When I reach her room, I look around. Apparently no sort of realization hit my face, because mom just grimaced at me.

"Whats wrong with this picture."

Silence.

"So you're telling me you don't see _anything _wrong with the scene before you?"

"I didn't say anything. Do you need anything...?"

"_Ohhh_, ok. I get it. You're playing games now. You must think you're _real_ funny. Why isn't my room clean?"

_What?_

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Didn't I tell you to clean my room? You are SO hard-headed!"

"No," I started, now feeling very annoyed, but not showing it. "you didn't."

That morning, my mother called me into the living room, her being fully dressed, and holding out a piece of paper. She just told me to follow the list, and that "It should be pretty simple, even for me." I explained this, but she was still fuming. Her room was usually dirty – well, not really DIRTY as it was "unorganized", but that wasn't the point: This was HER room, and one of the only things in my house that shouldn't be my responsibility.

"Why do you have to be so _contrary_?" my mother asked, raising her voice. "I ask you to do one simple thing, and you screw it up. Just like _everything else_... jeez, I guess I'll have to do it myself now. What do you have to say for yourself?... Maka?... _ANSWER ME!_"

I was steaming. I cook... I clean... I try SO HARD, and she just –

I snapped.

"Isn't this YOUR job?" I asked, disserting my poker face for a moment. "I've done EVERYTHING ON THAT LIST, and just because I neglected to do ONE THING – that one thing not even being my JOB mind you – and –"

Just then, I felt my cheek scream with pain. Mom had slapped me. I staggered a bit before looking back into her eyes, and recoiling at just how _angry _she'd looked.

"Mom, I –"

"Shut up..." She said almost in a whisper.

"Mom...?"

"_SHUT THE HELL UP! GET OUT OF MY FACE! YOU. MAKE. ME. __**SICK...**_"

"I-I'm sorry, I –"

I flinched as my mother jerked into movement, flying past me, and into my room. I stood for a moment, shocked like I always am when this happened... except somehow... I was sure that this time was different. After a few moments, I hear bangs and unsettling noises coming from my room. I ran to my room, almost afraid of what I'd see beyond my door, nonetheless taking a look inside. What I saw shocked and surprised me. Slightly.

Mom was ripping things from off of shelves and tossing things all over the room, throwing anything she can get her hands on in disarray. She saw me staring in horror, and got this almost crazed look in her eyes. She scanned the room quickly, as if she were looking for something, then realization spread across her face.

"Where's the laptop, Maka?"

"No,,, please..."

She ran to the living room and snatched the laptop from the couch where I was previously seated, and made her way to the front door. I followed her, yelling, tears running down my face, begging her to not do the thing that she promised me she would for so many years. She ran all the way down our stairs, past our dark and empty apartment parking lot and to the bayou that ran through the busy street of our small neighborhood, and looked at me with... what was it... _insanity?_

"Sorry baby," She said in almost a whisper. "you've brought this upon yourself..." as she tossed my laptop in, my heart stopping the moment I saw my laptop hit the water with a sickening splash.

"No... NO PLEASE..." I whined, crying my eyes out, my knees falling to the wet grass. The night was quiet, and had it not been for the cars flying past us, my sobs would be able to be heard for at least a mile. That laptop was special. That laptop was the last thing my Mom bought me before everything good in my life went astray... It was also my only escape to the madness that was my life. When I got angry, I wrote, – or rather, I _typed_ – when I got grounded from my phone for some stupid reason, I IM'd my friends. My only outlet for the pain and anger I pent up _every single day_... gone...

I looked up to see my mother, smirking down at me evilly.

"Get up Maka... you've got work to do."

* * *

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

When we got back to the house, my mother pushed me into the wreck that was my room.

"You wanna disrespect me? Okay then, well I believe in _fair punishment_. You will NOT leave this room until you're done cleaning – and stop _crying_, brainless. Maybe if you weren't such a whiney little bitch, you'd have more friends." She said nonchalantly, and my sobs stopped momentarily, too afraid of what would happen if I didn't.

"When you're done with your room you can do mine in the morning. If I wake up and you're not done, then you're going to get more than just a slap..." She said with a devious grin. "Goodnight _princess_." She said with a snarl before slamming my door.

For a moment I stood there, trying to bore holes into the wall with my eyes. Then, I sat down on my twin bed, and did something that I'd done my best to not do, and almost succeeded at doing for the last five years – I cried my eyes out.

_Why... why is she so MEAN to me..?. everything I say, everything I DO... its wrong. I always try my hardest, but my mother will never be satisfied. Why does she have to take away any possibilities of happiness in my life? I wish I was somewhere else... I wish..._

It was at that moment that I realized that I'd had these thoughts plenty of times before. I'd ran the situation through my head so many times – How I'd stuff everything that was important to me, all the essentials like food water, Mom's credit cards, ect , into a bag that was easy to carry and had a bunch of pockets, how I'd climb out of the window, and run off into the night after I'd left a very emotional letter, cursing my mother's existence, etcetera, etcetera... All of this was fine and dandy, but why hadn't I done it yet? I mean, I wouldn't really have any regrets... Well, at the moment, I was just so driven with anger... I had a simple decision to make. I could A) jump into the waters of uncertainty and leave everything I know behind, or B) just take it, clean my room, and get ready to clean my mother's tomorrow.

As I sat on my bed thinking, my tears subsiding for the moment, the door swung open again.

"You're STILL HERE?" My mother bellowed, angry. "When I tell you to do something, you DO IT. You think you're big just because you have nice things. Well who BOUGHT you these nice things? I DID. Get to work you cocky bitch!" My mother yelled, as she threw very large pair of boots at my head. I could be being a drama queen here, but I felt my nose sink into my face at least an inch.

"Get to work, before I come back in here..." My mother said before slamming the door again.

Making my decision was easy after that.

* * *

:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

That night, I did my best to pack everything according to my plan. Thank God my mom was a heavy sleeper. I snuck into the fridge, packed all the nonperishables that I could fit in with my clothes.

_No regrets. No regrets..._ I chanted to myself as I did all of this as to not dishearten myself from what I wanted to do.

It was VERY lucky that my mother JUST SO HAPPENED to leave her purse on the couch when she grabbed my laptop, which JUST SO HAPPENED to contain ALL of her credit cards, about one hundred and twenty dollars in cash, and her very expensive 3D Andriod phone. At first I just grabbed the money and credit cards... but then I took her phone too. She'd taken _my_ laptop. An eye for an eye right?

I'd deceided to leave at about five in the morning. As cool and movie-esque as "leaving in the darkness of the night" seemed, I'd have less of a chance of getting mugged or something if it was brighter outside. I took a steady breath as I opened my window. Even thought the door seemed like a much easier idea, our house had a security system. The moment that door opened, a little beeb would resound throughout the whole house, waking my mother and causing me to go through an unnecessary chase that would drastically lower my chances of leaving. Ever.

This was it. I was finally leaving this hellhole. Was I making the best decision...? Probably not... but what was there to lose? If nothing, I should be extremely nervous... uncertain... I mean, I WAS nervous, but the fact that I felt elated... like I'd just ran a marathon and I was reaching the finish line, I KNEW that I was doing the right thing. As I put my foot on the windowsill, a shirt shifted under my foot, and I noticed my flashdrive peeking out from under it. I grinned.

_Well, at least when I get the hell outta here I can finish my novel... _I thought deviously, remembering how I always saved a copy of my drafts every time I wrote. I may not saved anything on it recently, as it wasn't in my laptop before Mom threw it into the bayou, but I was cool with re-writing the last two or three chapters.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, I taped my note to Mom to the outside of my door, jumped out of my window(we may have been on the second floor, but this wasn't very hard, considering where was an outdoor hallway right outside my window) and made my leave.

_Well, here goes nothing._ I thought, as I silently closed the window behind me. _... or everything..._

**:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~**

**Next chapter: For the next two days, Maka has many firsts: Her first night on her own, her first time using a credit card... her first encounter with a person that actually seems to have her best interest at heart? Who is the beautiful boy with the snow-white hair and wonderfully rouge eyes, and is it REALLY ok to travel with him?**

**Wow... I must've had alot of pent up anger when I wrote this chapter XD Seriously, guys, my mom did NOT throw a shoe at me OR slap me(though I have been slapped by her before, and with good reason, too). Some of Kami's mannerisms in this chapter DO follow my mother's to a T, though, but I'm sure you don't care to hear my life's story...**

**Or do you...?**

**If you have any questions about me, my story and how it relates to real-life events, or(I know I'll regret this XD) my mother, then message me, and I'll be sure to include your questions in the next chapter. If there IS a next chapter. And believe me people, there won't be, unless you review. I know what you guys are thinking when you finish reading this: "Wow, pretty good story. Oh, whats this? She wants me to review? Eh, don't worry about it... someone else will be sure to review, and I'll still get my chapter..."**

**No. No you will not. Believe me, when I write fanfiction the most is during breaks and vacations, and SOMETIMES I'll get some in on the weekends if the story is worthwhile. How do I determine that? IF. YOU. REVIEW. Don't do that, and I'll think I'm wasting my time. Some of you may be shouting: "Where's my SoMa goodness?" or "What's up with the introduction? That was obviously Soul on the bike, yet he isn't anywhere else in this chapter!" Well, that was your "preview". A "teaser" if you will. Reveiw, and the SoMa will begin almost immediately.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading, and leave reviews...**

**_...or I'll take your soul._**


	3. The Omen

**PLEASE CHECK THE AUTHOR'S NOTES AT THE BOTTOM – ****_VERY _****important info down there guys. If you don't check it, you'll miss out on some seriously fun stuff!**

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER, THE SERIES, ANIME, MANGA, OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OR MERCHANDISE, ECT._I do own the storyline of this fanfic, however._

* * *

**Something She Can't Take**

_by RapozaTeRa(former pen-name Samurai Tsundere)_

**Chapter Three:**

**The Omen**

* * *

_"Mama," the little girl asked, staring at her mother wide-eyed. "where's Papa? Why did he go away?" The young woman's eyes, brimmed with unshead tears jumped, startled from her concentration as she gazed through the kitchen's open window. She sighed, picking up her little girl, cradling her sleepy form in her arms. _

_"Do you want to hear a story?" She burried her face in the crook of her mother's neck, nodding. Slowly, the pair made it into a tiny bedroom, stuffed animals and books littering every available surface. The woman tucked her child into bed and began to grasp around the floor, looking for a good story. _

_"No," surprised, jumping once more, the young woman turned to her daughter in confusion. "I-I already read those... can _you_ tell me one? Please?" Her features softened as she slid under the covers, sitting her daughter on her lap. _

_"Sure... ah... somewhere, a place untouched by the greedy hands of humanity, lay a castle. In this castle, wayward souls and lost spirits gather to dance and find happiness. In the castle lives the Lord of Death himself." _

_The little tyke gasped. "Do you mean there are _ghosts _there? Is it a scary place?"_

_Her mother, now resting her chin on her ashen lockes shook her head. She continued, confident in her story now that she'd gotten it started. "No, no. The Lord of Death was a kind ruler, making decisions that tended to everyone's needs. He was brave and strong..."_

_Halfway through the story, she was asleep. The tired woman kissed her daughter tenderly, easing out of the tiny twin bed. At the door now, she gazed at her pride and joy, the first smile all day escaping her lips. "Goodnight, angel." She closed the door slowly, muffling the _click _from the doornob mechanism._

_Hours later, she awoke to the cicadas sounding from her open window. The child rubbed her eyes sleepily, waddleing to the window to watch the moon - that always helped her sleep. She rested her elbow on the windowsill, contemplating story she had been told. Could there really be ghosts somewhere out there? Or the castle in which the kind Lord Death dwells? After about an hour her eyelids grew heavy, and she turned back to her bed, ready for sleep. _

_Halfway across the room, she heard a knocking._

_It started small - a hollow sound, barely audible. She turned to her closed door, bathed in shadow. She cocked her head, listening a few moments more to make sure she'd heard right. After nothing else happened, she shook it off and climbed under the covers. In a few moments she heard it again, louder this time._

_Knock, knock, knock knock._

_"Mama?" No answer. Now she was scared. "H-hello?"_

_The sound escalated, the knocks becoming harder._

_Knock, knock, knock, KNOCK._

_"I-is someone out there? Hello?!" The knocking had become desperate, the taps of a nuckle turning into violent punches against the thin slab of wood. Where was her mother? How could she not hear this? She was panicking now, and began to shriek._

_"MAMA! MAMA WHERE _ARE _YOU?!" She cowered under her covers, wanting whatever was out there to just go away. Suddenly, the onslought of sound stopped. She peeked over her sheets, her tiny fists white and clenching the fabric._

_Kill... Kill..._

_She gulped. A deep, voice was coming from the other side of the door. Even though she knew there was a distance between her and whoever was talking, it sounded like that person was right next to her, speaking directly into her ear._

_Killed her... You killed her..._

_"I-I've never killed anyone in my whole life!" She whined desperately. The voice was probably the scariest thing she'd ever heard. It sounded layered, like two or three people were speaking at once - a voice you'd expect a demon to have. _

_Mother... you killed... our mother..._

_"I'm sorry about your Mama, b-but I didn't kill her," She was almost shouting now. "I'm sorry!"_

_Knock, knock, knock, KNOCK._

_The knocking was back with avengance, growing louder as the voice grew angrier and more vicious._

_YOU killed her. __**YOU. KILLED. HER**__. _

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK._

**_YOU KILLED OUR MOTHER. _****_WHY_****_ DID YOU KILL OUR MOTHER?!_**

**_KNOCK, KNOCK,KNOCK, KNOCK._**

_The wood in the door began to break off and splinter. She glanced left and right, looking for a way out when she remembered the window. She glanced at her Victorian-style window and gasped. The moon's rays were no longer a milky blue, but a menacing crimson. She raced to the sill, almost running into the panes and glanced out, wondering if she'd survive the jump. She gazed at the blood-red moon, entranced with its evil light. She shook her head, wrenching her attention away to look at the surrounding trees. She stopped in her tracks._

_Several pairs of angry, slanted, red eyes sliently watched her, glowing throught the small copse that started the surrounding forrest like murderous fireflies. She wimpered. The number was increasing by the second, more eyes blinking into life. She frantically glanced at the door, then back to the window. A rock and a hard place._

**_BANG! _**

_A flash of claws - that was all she saw._

* * *

**_BANG!_**

I awoke to gunshots.

"Come out! We KNOW you're in there!" shouted an angry voice. I sighed, getting out of the sleezy bed to go to the bathroom, not even bothering to take a peek out the muddied window.

The first night on my own hadn't been as glamorous as I thought it'd be.

Well, I expected the worst, of course, but not _this _bad. After ducking through my window, my first stop was the ATM across the street at the Stop-and-Go.

For my "great adventure" I would be following a list I'd written and revised since the age of seven when things became almost unbearable with my mom and I needed to blow off some steam. Never did I think I'd actually have to _use _it. The list, also known as "Operation R.U.N" was a large file full of operations, instructions, and directions that would aid me in almost any condition after running away from home. There were bus schedules and train ticket prices in case I wanted to take public transportation, adresses to homeless shelters and halfway houses once I got my life back together, and even survival and first-aid instructions in case I'd have to hide out in the woods. I'd included a list of things to do first before traveling cross-country or leaving the city. The first item on the sublist was simple: Remove all the money from my personal account and as much as I could from my mother's before she got her bearings together and cancelled the cards.

This is where problem number one arose.

The way Mom set up my account, I could take out as much money at a time that I needed in case of emergencies. For once I was actually grateful that she rarely let me spend my own money, as I was able to pull the whole one-thousand two-hundred dollars out in cash. I wasn't so lucky with hers, though, only able to take out three-hundred at a time due to the limits she set on her own.

_Shit. _I thought in dispair. According to my list, I'd need at least two-thousand dollars to fund all the travel fees, living expenses and food costs to get me to my destination: California. Why? I don't know. For some reason, I had the strangest urge to travel west. I sighed, pulling out my road map and marking a big "X" on California and circling Arizona. It wasn't California, but it was close enough.

A few more things that day went wrong. Some of the bus routes had changed and I had to take a stop at the library to search for some new ones, so I lost a few precious hours. Next, someone recocnized me - my principal. Of all the people I could possibly run into at the library at eleven AM on a Sunday, it had to be him. He asked _alot _of questions, and lying through my teeth to answer every one of them was a hassle. Finally I convinced him that all was well and that I had permission to be there, and I was able to leave. I grabbed my two carry-ons and headed to the bus station.

Two four-hour cramped, uncomfortable bus trips later, I found myself in the small town of **Chimayó**, New Mexico. Though I shivered from the cold night air and fear for the unclear future that lay ahead, I couldn't help but feel proud of myself. I'd done it. I'd traveled several states away from home, on my own, without my mother. Sure, I was afraid, but the sense of freedom was amazing. I felt weightless as I stepped off the bus and retrieved my things. It wasn't until I left the bus station that I dove into my new level of Hell.

I looked into the "Operation R.U.N" folder for maps of the area and places to stay the night, but only found maps to hotels in California. I cringed as a tear escaped my eye. I'd forgotten to look up maps for New Mexico!

I stood there for a moment, breathing to calm myself. I had to keep it together. I was living ALONE now - adults don't cry when something doesn't go their way. They stay calm, cool, and collected and found answers to their problems, and considering just how much I'd accomplished in the last twenty-four hours, I think I qualified as an adult. I shook my head and marched down the streets.

I'd spent the next hour wandering the streets, looking for a place to stay. This wasn't one of my fantasy novels - I couldn't simply waltz up to some old couple's home and ask to stay the night, not without worrying if the couple were actually two psychos, or ex-convicts. I wouldn't blame them if they thought the same of me, a teenager way too young to be alone so far from home without an adult, hair tousled and clothes covered in small stains from the time spent in a stuffy bus with smelly tourists.

I stumbled upon a homeless shelter, but... Well, It's not that I was above staying in one - I wasn't exactly in the position to be picky about sleeping arrangements. It's just that I'd prefer to stay there as a last resort. I made note of the street name just in case. For a moment I stood, staring into one of the barred windows of the facility. An empty sparsely furnished room, mostly elderly men and women in worn clothes. Some wandered about, some were in the corners of the room, rocking back and forth, lost in their thoughts and memories. That cruel mix of fear and uncertainty gripped me yet again. Was this my fate? Is this what happens to people like me who get ahead of themselves, who's plans fail?

"You don't seem the type for a place like that." I froze. It was dark now, a solitary street light illuminating the entire street. The perfect setting for a young, vulnerable girl to go missing without a trace, left to the devices of thugs or sex offenders. I turned slowly.

There, standing under the streetlight was a lone figure. The yellow of the bulb bounced off of his snow white hair, giving him a surreal glow. His eyes lazily took in my appearance, gleaming mischeviously, his black leather jacket squeaking as he slowly sauntered up to where I stood. I backed up instantly, my back hitting the brick wall behind me.

* * *

"W-what?"

"I said, you don't seem look like you belong there. Your clothes," he indicated my outfit with a flourish of his hand. "may be a little wrinkled, but no one that needs to go into a place like that dresses in Polo." He cocked an eyebrow and pointed to the shelter, making me flinch. His grin disappeared, features softening. "C'mon now, I'm not going to hurt you. Why were considering sleeping in that looney-bin?"

I stood there, still frozen, not letting down my guard for a second. This is how things went down in the movies - the assailant would calm you down, try to talk you off the very ledge that keeps you safe from them. Then, once you were comfortable enough, they would strike, gag you, and toss you in a sack, bringing you to goodness-knows-where doing goodness-knows-what. He stared at me for a moment, watching a bead of sweat trickle down my face to my chin, then to the ground. After lifting his head, he seemed to come to a decision before backing up several paces. He then cupped his hands at the side of his mouth.

"Is this better?" He called from the other side of the street. "Will you answer me now?"

I could've ran away right then and there, but at that very moment, the same thing that happened in the lunch room just the week before happened again – I blinked, and suddenly, in the place of the young man before me was a floaty, glowing sphere, with a tail, almost like a ghost. I looked around me to catch more than just a glimpse of this... this secret WORLD to see if I noticed anything I didn't notice last time since what I was seeing wasn't going away. It was almost like x-ray vision – I could see through buildings, all of the details of my environment blurred and became dark. I saw a several more of the floating spheres, and I assumed they were people... but something was up.

My eyes bounced between the stranger across the street and the other little floating lights. Something was different about his – the others were featureless and BLUE... his was white, and when I looked down, I saw I had an orb of my own – an orange one. It began to float towards his slowly, and I felt a pull like never before. Panicking I grabbed my head, and shook, and when I opened my eyes again it was all gone.

I blinked a few times. Something told me to wait and hear this guy out. Something about him... the way my... my ORB_, _or whatever it was, going towards his like a magnet. I felt like I was safe, or like they needed to be close to eachother. And freaky-floaty-orb things aside, his body language or the softness in his eyes - _something _told me that he was a friend. I calmed myself, and when I looked at him again, instead of him staring at me like a lunatic like I expected, his eyes were extremely focused with a hint of surprise, as if he knew _exactly _what had just happened.

"So... are you going to come, or what?" I nodded.

"Good. Now, what's going on? Why would a girl who can afford a nice pair of Converse be even thinking about going in there?" he asked, pointing towards the building.

It took me a moment to find my voice before I replied, mimicking the position of his hands to amplify my voice. "I... I ran away from home. I figured I could stay in a homeless shelter for the night instead of wasting what little travel money I have on hotel-fees."

"That's not a homeless shelter," he said. "It's an asylum. Can't you read?" My skin formed goosebumps as I slowly turned towards the building behind me. I'd read the sign – it said "St. Agnes Home For the Weak". I then noticed a bit of text directly under the name – the building itself was an old-folks home, but what we were staring into must have been the psych ward. I sighed – I really needed to be more careful and not let my nervousness check me into a crazy-house.

I turned towards him, expectantly. He opened his mouth, paused, acted like he was about to say something, then stopped himself. "I would go ahead and ask for details, but you're makin' things hard for me to hold a simple conversation let alone ask you more questions." He said, his smirk back on his face. "You need a place to stay, right?"

I shook my head. "Please, sir, as flattered as I am by your offer, I'm afraid its against my my morals to sleep in the home of a guy I don't even know." His eyes widened, and he began to laugh.

"You seriously think I'd let some random chick off the street crash at my place? You could be a psycho, or something." I tried, and failed at suppressing a small smile. He noticed this, taking it as permission to continue. "Listen, I know a place about ten minutes away from here - its not the nicest, but there's always rooms open. In order to not stir your suspicion up even more, you can stay on that side of the street while I lead you there. Deal?"

The uncertainty must've shown, because his features softened once more. His eyes... they were beautiful when they looked so kind. I hadn't had anyone look at me - and a complete stranger at that - like they genuinely cared about my well being and would go any length to ease my woes.

"C'mon babe, doesn't a comfortable bed sound like a better place to sleep than a cot next to a psycho?" He jerked his thumb at the window. I heard a yelp - the man's frantic mumbling had increased in volume and urgency, and he began making spastic hand motions. I gulped. My decision was easy after that.

* * *

"Well... this is it." We'd arrived at a slightly run-down, but otherwise decent building. The giant neon sign on the top of the building sparked and blinked, advertising the words "Joe's One-Night Stand".

"Ugh... 'Joe's One Night Stand'? That sounds more like the name of a really low-budget porno." I mumbled, soliciting a guffaw from my companion.

"Yeah, well. I've stayed here more than I'd like to admit. Not for any one-night stands, of course." He assured me, his hands waving frantically. I giggled. "Its... decent. Go ahead, princess," he said, gesturing at the door. "Your palace awaits."

This was it - the place where I finally w_as _on my own. No more kind, handsome strangers to help me out of sticky situations. I'd almost felt like asking the milky-haired boy to stay. He chatted with me on the way to the motel, soothing my fear the slightest bit, asking me little questions about nothing in particular. The world needed more people like him - people that see another person in need and go out of their way to help them solve their problems. Yeah... there really should be more people like... what is it? I never even got his name. Well, there needed to be more "white knights" on this cruel and beautiful earth... at least, more of them in my life. I stepped into the doorway. "How could I ever thank y -" I said, turning, stopping in my tracks.

He was gone.

When I made it inside, I found my room already payed for, and a piece of paper, the words "Stay cool." scrawled in elegant handwriting unexpected from a boy.

* * *

All night I heard gunshots and sirens, so by half-passed two I was used to it and stopped checking my window. It seemed like every crimelord in town chose this spot for shady redvezvous and illigal drug and prostitution rings, so the police were busting down people's doors left and right. This morning was no different. After I'd heard this morning's round of fire, I simply shrugged it off. After I'd gotten dressed and grabbed my things, ready for the last leg of my journey, I stepped outside out of pure curiosity instead of fear like I had most of last night.

I opened my door and the lights of sirens nearly blinded me in the darkness brought along by the early hours. A man was being carried away by two paramedics. I yawned, turning to my right expectantly.

"'Morning, Maka."

"'Morning, Kilik." I said sleepily, rubbing my eyes. "What happened this time? Another homicide?" I gestured to the man on the stretcher.

"No, almost. An episode of "Cheaters" was being filmed, and when the camera crew busted on the scene the girlfriend got a bit emotional and pulled a knife."

"So he's not dead?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. He did get his... ah... 'manhood' chopped off."

I winced. "He'll never be able to cheat with anyone ever again, I guess."

"I guess so." He said with a chuckle. "So how did you sleep?"

I pulled a foldable chair from the tiny table where he sat and giggled. "Considering I didn't get shot through the floorboards like that woman next door then fine, I guess. I had this weird dream, though..." He listened politely as I relayed the events in my dream.

"I see..." he mumbled, staring into the table in concentration. For a moment it looked like I'd lost him, but then he looked up, grinning. "Probably nothing." We went on like that for about thirty minutes, exchanging small talk and talking about current events. It felt great to finally have a decent conversation with someone, especially after going so long without friends.

I met Kilik last night around 11PM after peeking through my door crack after hearing gunshots. I started whimpering, worrying for my safety when I felt a strong hand on my shoulder. After promptly punching the "offender" and asking him what his deal was, he apologized and explained himself. I started backing away, but suddenly, the floating orbs were there again. I didn't get a pulling sensation like I did from my benefactor from the night before, but a similar feeling of calmness washed over me again. I waved away his explanations and let him introduce himself. Kilik had been checking out the carnage outside himself, but heard me crying. According to him, it was nothing to worry about because we were on the more run-down side of the motel, whereas all the drug dealers and adulters chose the side with free cable and mini-bar. _That _bit of news didn't soothe me in the least, so we talked, and talked, and _talked, _trying to distract me from the chaos that surrounded us. After the first hour I stopped jumping at every gunshot, and flinching at the sounds of sirens. I'd even sat through a hostage negotiation, actually _enjoying _the drama unfolding before me.

"See?" Kilik asked, grinning. "'Like watching _Law and Order _in person."

Eventually we got to the elephant in the room.

"So... where are your parents?"

He must've seen me flinch, because he was at my side in a second.

"Shh... its cool, its cool. You don't have to tell me anything." He said, warily eyeing me before putting his arm on my shoulder again. It was a small amount of contact, but no one had shown me such empathy in a long time. I swore as a single tear rolled down my face, and Kilik's eyes went wide as he apologized profusely. I stared at him, and decided he may as well know what was going on. The whole time he'd sat and listened patiently, nodding every once in a while to show I still had his full attention. Until I mentioned my mother.

"Your mother sounds like a total bitch," he said, his hands tense.

I sniffled, nodding. "She is... or, well, she isn't, but she can _act _like one." His mouth contorted in confusion. _Go on? _he pantomimed.

I sighed. "She's still...she's still my mother, Kilik. I can't help but love her. Believe me, if you grew up knowing the kind, go-to, get-shit-done woman that I knew, the mom that she was before everything seemed to fall apart, then you'd think the same. I just _know _she's still in there..." He nodded, and began to look slightly uncomfortable as he reached his hand towards mine, searching my eyes for approval. Slightly wary, I nodded, and smiled. We sat that way until about 3AM, then went to our separate rooms for the night.

Now, in the morning, despite how bleak everything seemed – a teen away from home, away from friends, and family, all on her own – I knew this was a fresh start. I felt the confidence I had yesterday return with a vengeance. After the two of us watched the sunrise and listen to the sounds of the morning citizens waking and the creeps slithering back to whatever opium dens or motel rooms they occupied, I stood, suddenly.

"Maka? What's wrong?"

"I have to go now." I started walking to my room, not wanting to turn around due to fear of breaking down and crying. I _finally _get a new friend, and what happens? Kilik sighed.

"I understand... at least let me help you pack?"

Without turning around, I nodded and walked to my room, leaving my door open for him. To my surprise, no footsteps could be heard behind me. Kilik hadn't moved, his eyebrow cocked. He saw the confusion in my face and shook his head, looking slightly disappointed.

"Maka... I mean... wow, just wow."

"What? What's wrong?"

Exasperated, his hand flew to his face. He almost looked embarrassed, as if it were obvious. "You can't just... I'm a guy, correct?"

I rolled my eyes. "No shit, Sherlock. Or has that changed overnight?"

"Hey, hey, no need to get snappy. Its just... you invited me to your room."

"... _okay? And?_" Slowly, he sauntered over to me, getting in my face. I could feel his breath on my lips, only inches apart.

"...K-Kilik?" I stuttered. My ears were _burning, _but his expression hadn't changed. Inch by inch, he came towards me, and soon, my back collided with the wall. "_Don't scream..._" He whispered. I panicked. His breath tickled my ear and shivers down my spine. His hand wandered from my shoulders to my arm. _Oh, God, is he going to-?! _I closed my eyes, readying myself for a fight. I hadn't gotten this far to be stopped my some _pervert_. My fists drawn back, knee poised for a swift kick to his groin –

Sudddenly, his weight was gone. I opened my eyes again, to find that he was a few feet away again.

"Now, I am a guy. _You _are a girl. By the way you're face has just changed three shades of red, I can tell that _you _are very uncomfortable. 'Still don't get it?" When I didn't move, he went back to the doorway, sighing once more as he leaned into the frame.

"My mother raised met to be a good boy - a boy who's polite, opens doors for girls, and pays for everything on a date. My father raised me to be a good _man _ - a man who treats a lady right, protects her when she needs it, and sure as _hell _doesn't enter her room, unless she gives him permission, and there are other people(in our case, adults) present." He stared at me sternly as the pieces started to shift together. My eyes widened in understanding. "Not everyone's parents are like that, Maka. What just happened - (Well, it didn't happen, but it _would have_ if it were anybody else) what would have happened if you'd have gotten the room two doors down from mine and met someone else? What if you'd have met a guy who pulled the same thing - talked to you, got you _real _comfortable, and then worked his way into your pants whether you wanted it or not?"

I growled as heat filled my face. "I invited you _in _because I thought I could _trust _you, not because I'm _stupid_."

He frowned. "_Just _because I was a little nice to you, you thought I was _trustworthy_?!"

"No! I did it because... I saw your... it was _different_, just like his, and..." Frustrated, I stared into my fists, but looked up when I heard his breath hitched in his throat.

"Maka, my _what _was different?"

"Whatever. It's nothing. You wouldn't believe me if I told you, anyway. "

"Try me."

I searched his face for any amusement or disbelief. He too seemed like he knew something, just like the guy from last night. So I explained. I began to pack again, and he stood in my doorway as I told him about the time in the lunchroom, and the strange boy I met the night before.

"So you say my sou – I mean, my... orb looked just like his?"

I nodded. "Yours didn't pull me in like his, but it was _really _bright. There couldn've been something wrong wtih you. I could just tell." I zipped up my suitcase, putting the last of my toiletries in the top pocket, and grabbing all of my notes from the nightstand. Kilik allowed me to use his phone the nighty before to update "Operation: R.U.N". The motel may have been run-down, but it had excellent wi-fi, and I was able to manually copy down some notes and addresses. "And besides, if you'd tried anything, I could easily kick your ass."

He laughed. "You ARE more like a prince than a princess aren't you?" His smile faded for a moment, and he seemed conflicted. "But, Maka... I _care _about you. Even though I've only known you for one night I think it's safe to say we're friends, and friends watch out for friends. But as capable in handing my ass to me on a plate as I think you are(that punch from last night said it all),what if I had a gun or knife on me? Do you know how many girls I've seen in your situation? You have to be more conscious of your surroundings be... be -" He threw his hands into the air. "be _aware_! Don't just let some random guy into your room! As I'm sure you've realized, you're on your own now. There's no one to protect you from the world that we are all shielded from whilst living with our parents. This is the _real world, _and the real world doesn't give a shit about your well-being. But I do. That's why I've taken the time to show you." He turned, heading back to his room. "Grab your things and I'll see you off." He called.

I stood in the middle of my room in shock. _Who the heck did this guy think he is? _I thought. _Here I'm the one who was fake-molested, and he says it's MY fault? _I fumed and slammed things around as I straightened out my room – it was a piece-of-crap facility, but I wouldn't leave it looking like a wreck – but after a while, Killik's words really hit home. Sure, I was strong, and if an unarmed man came at me, I wouldn't go down without taking a few fingers – schools and parents should teach people not to rape, not to tell girls to not _get _raped... But at the same time, it wouldn't hurt to be a little more careful, and Killik didn't mean anything bad by it. I shuddered at the possibility of the example he'd given - what if I _had _gotten a room a floor down, and a pimp or drug trafficker and I got acquainted? I sighed and trudged out of my room, preparing myself to apologize. But when I got outside, his eyes held no contempt or disdain. They were kind and forgiving. Wordlessly, he stepped forward and patted me on the back. I was hesitant at first, but I returned his smile. There were so many words and emotions shared in that moment – a very strong relationship had been formed.

It took us twenty minutes on foot, but we arrived at the bus station. "Well," He mumbled with a smile. "this is it." I returned his smile, teary eyed.

"Not _really. _The bus doesn't arrive for another ten minutes. But I _do _have to go to the bathroom, so its probably best that we part here, then, right? Spare each other the sorrowful goodbye?" No words were exchanged as he swooped me into a final embrace.

"I'll miss you..." I mumbled as we broke apart. He grinned apologetically.

"We'll see each other again, okay? Just remember what I told you..." I nodded as he turned, tossing his hand into the air and waving. For the first time I noticed the travel bag on Kilik's shoulder.

"Where are you going?" I called. He followed my eyes and chuckled. "You're not the only one who's leaving, y'know!" He sauntered away, his back hitting his thigh as he walked. I realized suddenly that Kilik was probably in the same situation I was in, or at least a similar one. What could have brought him to walking around New Mexico, without supervision, and frequenting the cesspool of drugs and violence that we'd just left behind? I was going to run behind him and demand an explanation before I left, but an announcement over the PA system informed me that I only had fifteen minutes before my bus would leave. With a final glance at the receeding back of my new friend, I took my leave.

I made it to the bathroom, dangerously close to crying once more.

* * *

"Ticket, Ma'am?"

I was on the bus now, puffy eyed and extremely nervous. The ticket-master, or whatever you called the losers who went around making sure everyone had their ticket, was staring me down with cold grey eyes, his thin frame causing him to resemble a character out of a Lemoney Snicket book. This bus was much nicer than the one that I'd last ridden on. I was riding charter, and all the faces of families and tourists were staring at me, not making my situation any easier. I fumbled around in my bag for a while, panicking. "Umm... ah..."

"Your _ticket?_" The spindly young man was getting annoyed. My mind was going a mile-a-minute. _Where the hell was that ticket -?!_

From the back of the bus a flush could be heard. A few heads turned at the sudden distraction, but others kept their head focused on the action unfolding. I risked a glance and my mouth dropped open.

"Kilik?!"

Striding forward like he owned the place, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper. "Looking for something?" He inquired pointedly. I smiled.

"Th-this is preposterous! You can't just _give me _a random ticket," He said, huffing indignantly. "the ticket must be purchased by the person wishing to ride the bus!" Doing his best to hide the ticket from me, he asked, rather rudely. "What is your name, girl?"

"Maka Smith." I said calmly. His pale face blanched even further, if possible, as he looked at the ticket as if he couldn't believe his eyes. After gawking for a few moments, he clipped the ticket and adjusted his jacket, a rosy blush forming on his face. "M-my mistake, Ms. Smith. Please take your seat." Grinning triumphantly, I turned to Kilik.

"I hope you don't mind me joining you." I laughed, and grabbed his hand, picking a pair of seats for our journey.

* * *

_A bus rattled and shook along a dusty road heavy with luggage, the lights in the windows slowly dying as the last few passengers turned off their mobile devices for the night. The bus's driver sat alone up front, slightly peeved. On nights like this, he enjoyed staring at the stars, which spread across the sky like an ocean. The city nights could never give him this beautiful view, what with all the buildings and spotlights. That night was no disappointment either, but the lack of conversation was. With no one to talk to, the sky was just as beautiful, but staring into the swirls and formations of light, along with the rocking and bumping of the bus, he felt like a child being lulled to sleep..._

_He quickly grabbed his coffee and took a swig. He was a bus driver. Falling asleep was not exactly the safest thing to do for his own sake and the sake of the near-one-hundred sleeping passengers. He turned to his right and frowned. Henry, his ticketeer(as he liked to call himself) was fast asleep. They had a _deal _– he got his nephew this job, and he got someone to keep him awake on these quiet drives in return. _

_There was a crash accompanied by soft swearing in the booth a few rows down from his. The Driver glanced at his rearview mirrors and peered down the roads to check for other cars, then looked behind him. It was the boy with the twists who'd caused Henry to get all riled up a few hours earlier. He and the young woman with the pigtails – her name started with an M – spent the entirety of their trip laughing and telling stories. They were also the last two up, outlasting the whole bus, Henry included. _

_Listening to them talk was what kept him up, but that was about two hours prior. What was he doing up?_

_"Hello?" He said in a hushed, yet urgent tone. Feeling slightly nosy, the bus-driver peeked into his rearview mirror. The sandy-haired girl was fast asleep, chin on her companion's shoulder. The boy was wide awake, staring out his window, the amusement on his face from earlier replaced with worry and exhaustion. "Yeah, I retrieved her." _

_Wondering just what was going on, and checking a final time for cars further down the road, the driver adjusted his mirror to focus more on the couple._

_"She's doing fine – just a bit shooken up. I think it's all that's been going on. She's been through alot, y'know? Two states, all on her own..." The speaker on his phone crackled a bit. "Mhm. There's something special about this one. I think... I think she has Soul-perception." The bus driver raised a brow. What on Earth was a Soul-perception? He strained to hear more, and the phone crackled a bit louder, causing the girl to stir slightly. With bated breath, the boy waited for her to calm down and go back into a deeper slumber. He frowned._

_"You don't have to get so excited, dude! You almost woke her up! And don't worry – nothing's attacked us yet, so I think we're in for a smooth trip. The driver said we'll be taking a rest-stop in the morning for about an hour, and it'll be about three hours after that till we get to a nearby city... I have no clue how I'm supposed to convince her to come, so you may have to 'coincidentally' make a pit-stop and intervene... Hold on," He pulled down his smart-phone. "I'm sending you our location through Maps(1). Do you think you can make it in time?" A few moments silence, then a nod. "Thanks. You seemed to make quite the impression on her when you last met, so I think she'll listen to you." He smiled. "Great. I'll see you tomorrow." _

_He sighed, taking a few moments to stare at the girl next to him, worry returning to his expression. What, the driver wondered for the third time that day, were two teens doing alone on a bus traveling cross-country, and what would cause a man as young as himself to make a face usually reserved for adults?_

_The young man drifted to sleep while staring at the stars, and the driver did his best not to do the same._

**_:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~_**

**(1)Maps - By "Maps" Kilik means the app, "Google Maps". **

**Next chapter: The two travelers stop at a diner by the side of the road, where, unbeknownst to Maka, Kilik is to meet his correspondant. Little does he know that a slew of unwanted visitors will join their little rendezvous.**

**Okay guys! So, if you saw my last update on my Samurai Tsundere profile, and if you're reading this chapter, good news - you know I moved! I deleted all the stories on my last profile, so things are final. The only thing left over is a disclaimer, telling everyone else why my stories aren't there.**

**I also have a tumblr now, guys - a ton of you had been asking over it over IM, so I made one - check my profile for the deets. ****There's a MaKidd piece there just for you guys that I think you'll like :) ****I also have a friend that I promised I'd promote her tumblr as well. She love Sherlock, so if you do too(heck, even if you _don't_), please follow her as well.**

**If we both get at least thirty follows on our pages, i'll do a two-chapter release next time I update! Also, from now on, if you have a tumblr, please gear any questions you have about my fics to my inbox on my tumblr, and i'll post the answers, as well as any info on updates there. If you don't, you can continue using my inbox here.**

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